The merits of Marshall

Foxsports.com first reported the story. ESPNChicago.com reported Cincinnati would send two prospects in addition to Wood.

To me, this deal makes the most sense IF the Reds plan to use Marshall as a closer. And his numbers as a setup guy, especially the last two seasons, seem to present a guy that can close.

Marshall has been one of baseball’s best at his job, with a 2.45 ERA in 158 appearances over 2010-2011. His stats can be seen by clicking here.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2011 was 4.65. As a comparison, Francisco Cordero’s K/BB ratio was 1.91 last season.

Marshall can also do a decent job of getting hitters out from both sides of the plate. Last season, right-handers batted .249 while lefties batted .206. In 2010, it was .218 for RH and .196 for LH.

One negative is that Marshall is only signed through 2012. He’s due to make $3.1 million. The Reds would be giving up quite a bit for one guaranteed year of Marshall.

Check back for updates.

UPDATE:

**A source confirmed the Reds’ interest in Marshall, but said that nothing would happen today. And after my speculation, I am wrong. The Reds are interested in Marshall to be a set-up man.

UPDATE NO. 2 — ESPNChicago now reporting the trade has been agreed to in principle pending physicals — Wood and two Minor Leaguers for Marshall. With what I heard a little bit ago, I’d predict physicals aren’t completed until Thursday at some point.

I don’t see why we would have to give up two prospects. Travis Wood will be a star in a year or so and I think an even swap would be more sensible. I just hope Jovkety dosen’t give up all our young prospectsd, and particiular a guy like Hamilton.

At the end of the day a prospect is a prospect untill they prove themselves at the Big League Level. Homer Bailey was going to be a star 4 years ago. Edinson Volquez was going to be and Ace. When we traded away Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez we thought we were trading away All-Star caliber talent. Point being, Wood and Hamilton while they are promising prospects, they may never be more than that. Only time will tell. Marshall most definitely would improve our bull pen this year. I am not saying that he is worth Wook and Hamilton, if that were the case we would probably already have a deal, I am saying the moves being made all appear to be to win now.

Wood for Marshall straight up. It would make sense for both teams. If the Reds give anything more in the deal, it will be too much. Even if this trade happens the Reds should still get Cordero back, and if not, they should use the saved money in getting a very respectable leftfielder. Beltran would be very nice, plug him into left and bat him 4th, a switch hitter between the two lefties Votto and Bruce. But I know that won’t happen! Hey I can dream!

I don’t understand this deal if Marshall is not going to be a closer. Unless they resign Coco??, But i highly doubt that happens, Also depends on the minor league guys that get put in the deal. Don’t want to lose guys like Hamilton,LaMarre or Phipps in a deal for guy that is not signed after 2012.

I can hardly wait to see the expendable prospects that may be included in this proposed trade. They will either justify the addition of Marshall (for ONE year), or have us all wondering who we have left in the minors that are actually destined for the major leagues.

Right now, alas, the Chapman experiment looks to be an utter failure. I doubt he has the assortment of pitches to ever be a successful starter who can provide innings. The track record in the minors in 2010 was not good. And his lack of a bounceback, rubber arm makes his bullpen value significantly reduced and probably unthinkable for a closer’s role. That might leave him ultimately about where he landed last year: a lefty specialist or set-up guy who will have to be monitored constantly and whose workload will be gingerly spread out of necessity. Things could change, I suppose, but right now it looks like a lot of money for that kind of pitcher. And even that would assume relative health which this offseason has placed in serious doubt.

I think 2012 will be the year for the Cuban Missile and just think about how deadly the Reds starting rotation would look with Cueto, Latos and Chapman at the top with Leake, Arroyo and Bailey filling in the rest. I really think this will be a big year for Reds pitching.

Walt’s priorities were SP, LF, and SS………………Marshall is none of those things, and with 1 year of control and $3 million for Travis Wood, this deal makes no sense to me.

A deal like this means 1 of 3 things:

1.) The SS and LF options will take a hit as far as getting a FA goes. The Reds are already stingy enough about signing FAs, and with $3million being used, that cuts the options even more.

2.) Travis Wood is a decent trading chip. Everyone saw what he did to the Phillies, and when he has his control, he’s unhittable…..so trading him for a RELIEVER makes it so the Reds have less to offer a team like the Rockies for a LF bat like Seth Smith. So any possible trade for a decent LF goes down the crapper, unless the Reds are willing to give up more top prospects and clean out the farm.

3.) The rotation takes a hit if Chapman cant make it as a reliever….and with Homer Bailey’s track record of injury, the Reds will be wishing they hadnt traded away Travis Wood come May.

First off, the Reds saved some cash when they got rid of Volquez and Alonso. (close to 3 million) Second, Walt said they were going to look for pitchers first then address LF and INF. From what I am hearing, they want to re-sign Marshall to a deal, that is why they called for physicals. And from what I am seeing they have Cueto, Latos, Leake, Arroyo, Bailey and Chapman for starters.

Bailey and Chapman are wild cards………no one knows if Chapman will be able to start and keep his arm healthy and no one knows if Bailey can stay off the DL and get his stubborness in check. I’m not worried about Latos, Arroyo, Leake, or Cueto (although he did go down twice last year with shoulder issues).

My argument is more about going after a reliever……a LEFT HANDED reliever at that for a potentially great young starting pitcher. The Reds already have Bill Bray to play the lefty setup role…..and Ondrusek and Masset on the right side. The only way I can get behind a move like this is if Marshall is being brought in to close and signed for another couple of years.

If you must get rid of Travis Wood in a trade, go after something the Reds need. If the rotation is as great as it’s supposed to be, go after the SS and LF positions and get some bats…..Smith, Ankiel, Ludwick, etc all would benefit the Reds more than Sean Marshall.

True, but Marshall is a great relief pitcher and no matter what happens he will help the Reds out big time in 2012. Wood probably would have been in the bullpen if he was not down in AAA. And those LF bats are still sitting on the free agents market so Walt is addressing the right thing first. Even if they don’t get a LF bat they have Heisey who many think can do a good job. And the SS/INF will be a back-up to Cozart so don’t expect to much from that. They still have Janish too so those are really not the biggest issues right now. They needed another RP for Chapman to go to the rotation and I think they got it with Marshall. Now I expect one more pitcher to be traded for or signed and then Walt will go after a LF and an INF/SS

I’m not too high on Heisey……I’d rather see him and Stubbs platoon CF….Stubbs only hits LHP and Heisey only hits RHP….so that would cover CF and eliminate 200 Ks from Stubbs. I’d like to see a full time LF with decent numbers like Ankiel or Smith rather than see them have to share with Heisey., not to mention I’d like to see them obtain someone noteworthy rather than go out and get another Fred Lewis because they end up strapped for cash or short on trade chips.

Walt never ordered his priorities in that exact fashion…in fact, after the acquisition of Latos, he made a point of saying that the bullpen was the next priority. I’m glad. Had begun to think that I was the only one concerned about that. Early in 2011, I began tracking the bullpen performance. It was consistently in the bottom tier of the league and long before the overuse of the pen began to appear on everyone’s radar. Moreover, the rumors now are that what’s holding the deal from being officially announced isn’t the physicals to be taken or the additional prospects to be finalized, but, instead, the working out of a several year extension with Marshall before the deal is done.

Finally, the problems in left and at short a year ago were not the prime reason for the club’s collapse. If upgrades can be made inexpensively, then great. But we can live with what we’ve got. After all, that offense, even with down production at those spots, still finished second in the league behind St. Louis.

Aboiut the only thing I agree with is the fact that the Reds may come to regret trading Wood, if they do. I have a hunch he will be haunting us for the next fifteen years and inside the same division!

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